Last peregring falcon chick dies at Campbell Ewald building

The lone remaining peregrine falcon chick at the Campbell Ewald building has died from injuries suffered from flying into a window at the GM Tech Center across Van Dyke in Warren.

The chick, who was nicknamed “Amelia,” was born May 14 to her parents who made the 10th floor of the building their home in March. It was the first nesting at the building since an employee set up a nest and camera there in 2006.

The falcons captured the attention and hearts of Campbell Ewald employees who set up an entertaining web site that tracked their progress via words and images, www.cefalcons.tumblr.com.

The pair produced three eggs, but one of the eggs was destroyed by one of the parents, and the other chick also died shortly after birth.

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Amelia was tagged by the state Department of Natural Resources, which encourages the nestings.

Amelia was found injured last Thursday in a Tech Center court yard. She was taken to Spirit Filled Wings rehabilitation center, where she died early Saturday morning, according to the web site.

“The hope was that Amelia would successfully heal and return to her parents, however, it all just seemed too much for the little girl,” a web site posting says. “Rest in peace, Amelia. We will miss you.”

Christine Becher, peregrine falcon nesting coordinator for DNR, notes in a post that Amelia was still a novice flier, and the survival rate for chicks is 50 to 60 percent.

“I hope that you all take heart in knowing what a wonderful part you all had in watching Amelia in her short life,” Belcher says. “Also, consider how the Peregrine Falcons have become one of the Endangered Species Act’s great success stories here in southeast Michigan.”

An adult falcon has been nesting for several years on top of the old Macomb County Building in Mount Clemens. It is one of about a dozen peregrine falcon nests in eastern Michigan.